Face oils are considered a type of emollient, which means they help strengthen the outer layer of your skin — the stratum corneum — by softening and sealing it, preventing water loss," González said. Face oils are often plant-based, according to Cleveland Clinic dermatologist Dr.
Oils are the ideal antidote to dry, flaky skin and rough, rosy cheeks — and they can be much more effective at moisturizing than your standard over-the-counter lotions and creams. For softer skin and hair, Dr.
Everyday your skin shield works it can lose power. Especially at times of high stress and sleeplessness. This is why it is good to use oil on your face. Face oils are the only skincare step to be completely skin similar to your skin's top and most important layers.
"The skin needs oil to maintain a healthy balance, otherwise, it gets too dry which can cause breakouts, fine lines, and wrinkles. Using a facial oil helps keep moisture in the skin while protecting it from the environmental damage," she explains.
"Oils are really better at sealing in moisture due to their occlusive nature—they prevent the evaporation of hydration from skin to the environment," explains Dr. Nazarian. Thanks to the fact that oils are emollients, they'll create a barrier on your skin to lock in all that hydrating goodness from your moisturizer.
Unlike serums, which absorb deeply into the skin, face oils have larger molecules that can only penetrate the surface. They work on strengthening the skin barrier - the outer layer - to minimise trans epidermal water loss. This keeps skin hydrated and plump, improving the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Your facial oil will help keep that hydration in and protect your skin from outside irritants. While face oils should not be used in place of moisturizers, they can help supplement them and improve the effectiveness of your skincare routine to boost skin hydration and give you healthy-looking skin.
The correct way to use your face oils is to use the moisturizer first then pat on your oil. It'll let the water melt into your skin and not evaporate. The other reason why oil goes last is that it will eventually sink into your skin, reinforcing your moisture barrier. If you're wearing SPF apply oil after.
Because oil is the heaviest — or most dense — product in your routine, it's able to penetrate your moisturizer, allowing it to reach your skin, but the reverse isn't true. If you want to really amp up the moisture, apply your oil after applying moisturizer onto damp skin.
When it comes to facial oils, they should be applied as the last step in your skin care routine at night, and right before SPF in the morning.
Products that clog pores are known as comedogenic; and, you guessed it, facial oils fit the description. "Many [topical] oils have the potential to clog pores and cause breakouts," says Dr. Love. "So, using oils on acne-prone skin is akin to adding gas to a fire."
You can always mix oils in with your moisturizer, but if you're going to give them their own spot of honor in your skin-care routine, derms say there are two ways you can do it, depending on the type of face oil you use.
First things first: You can use face oil and serum together—it's not an either/or type of situation. As a rule of thumb, we typically recommend applying products in order from lightest to heaviest. For oils and serums, that usually means applying serums (which are often water-based) first.
Then, if an oil is needed — [like] if you're in a dry climate — [you should] rub it into your hands first and then pat it onto the face over the lotion. This acts as a top coat without getting directly into the pores. If you have dry skin, you can massage a few drops over your moisturizer into the skin."
"Facial oils, if used correctly and consistently, can provide a necessary seal for locking moisture in the skin, improving the skin's hydration and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles," says Nava Greenfield, MD, a board-certified dermatologist with Schweiger Dermatology.
Comedones can take the form of blackheads, whiteheads, or skin-tone colored bumps, and are caused when the pores of your skin become clogged with oil, debris, or dirt. Comedogenic oils and products made with them may clog your pores, causing the eruption of comedones. Noncomedogenic oils don't have this effect.
Myth #2: Facial oils clog pores.
Let's cut to the chase right away – facial oils will not clog your pores. Oil (or sebum) occurs naturally in your skin and your sebaceous glands are constantly working to pump it out. Acne is a result of hair follicles that become clogged with oil and dead skin cells.
"For instance, I warn against using face oils if you are acne-prone as these oils can be very pore-clogging and often add fuel to the pimple fire," said board-certified dermatologist Rita V. Linkner.
Will using Face Oil make you Break Out? The common notion that it's harmful to apply oil to acne-prone skin is simply a myth. The natural oil that our skin produces is called sebum and it actually protects our skin from environmental damage.